Despite the Northern region’s strong electoral support in the 2023 elections, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has charged that President Tinubu’s administration has neglected the region in federal budget allocations and infrastructure development.
Bashir M. Dalhatu, the chairman of the ACF board of trustees, stated during a citizen engagement conference hosted by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna that the North, which accounted for more than 64% of Tinubu’s overall support, has been mainly left out of important policy choices.
Dalhatu referenced a Federal Ministry of Works report that revealed the North East only received N24 billion of the N1.013 trillion allotted for roads, while the South West received N1.394 trillion. He criticized the disregard for important infrastructure projects in the North, such as the Baro Inland Port and the Mambilla Hydroelectric Dam.
In addition, he asked for a state of emergency in the power sector to boost regional economic development and criticized the less than 5% budgetary allotment to agriculture, despite the region’s crucial role in food production.
This follows a similar charge made by Rabiu Kwankwaso, a 2023 presidential candidate. However, the president swiftly refuted his assertions by presenting a list of various active initiatives in the Northern region.
A similar worry was expressed by Babachir Lawal as well. Governors of Kaduna and Gombe states, however, defended the Tinubu government, claiming that the administration is fulfilling a number of its campaign pledges.
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